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Thursday, April 06, 2006

Jameer labelled best PG in 2004 Draft

1) Jameer Nelson is proving to be the best point guard out of the 2004 Draft

The night of the 2004 NBA draft was an embarrassing time for player of the year Jameer Nelson. After a stellar four year career at Saint Joseph's, scouts relied too much on negative information about Nelson that proved to be wrong. First, they said the A-10 was weak (they had 2 teams in the Elite 8 in 2004). Second, they said he didn't play against anyone (SJU had the highest RPI in 2004). All of this led Nelson to fall to the 20th pick in the draft, as Devin Harris, along with two high-school point guards, Shaun Livingston and Sebastian Telfair, were taken ahead of him. Harris has been solid but unspectacular. Livingston has the size and skill, but is so physically weak that he can't be relied on. Sebastian Telfair's best weapons are the ones he conceals on the team plane. It certainly isn't his 37% field goal percentage.

Nelson, on the other hand, has been a bright spot on a rebuilding Magic team that will make a play-off push next year. He proved himself earlier in the year during Steve Francis' team troubles and injuries, effectively running the point, scoring and playing good defense. The result; the Magic traded Francis and gave the job to Nelson. Jameer is averaging 15ppg and 5 assists in only 28 minutes per game. That number will certainly go up. Also, Nelson is shooting a spectacular 49% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc. He is a smart, physically strong player that will undoubtedly be one of the top point guards in the game for years to come."

Jameer is proving all doubters wrong including myself. His offense is compensating for his size on the defensive end, and more. In the long run Jameer's success depends on his durability and stamina on pushing his offensive game. He is a decent defender too, but I won't go as far as the article has gone giving him special credit for his defense. That's not where, in my view, he is going to flourish at.